


A Girl from the Plains

by CaptainGlitch



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/F, Fluff, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Lyn and Florina have A Support, Romance, or at least I try
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-15 20:03:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13620699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainGlitch/pseuds/CaptainGlitch
Summary: A battlefield is not the best place to find romance... There’s so many things to do, busy times indeed, but even with shortage of time, love will find a way.That’s how it is for Florina, a girl from the mountains who happens to be in love with Lyn, a girl from the plains.





	A Girl from the Plains

**Author's Note:**

> I had a dream where IntSys made Lyn/Florina canon in some random content they added to Warriors and when I woke up I got upset because life isn’t that cool… my very mature solution to the problem was to start writing this  
> Also some notes for your consideration:  
> \- As said in the tags Lyn and Florina - A support, but also the A support between Serra and Florina happened because i love that one too  
> \- I’m taking some creative freedom describing the Fire Emblem, I wrote down all the descriptions we had of it in the game and added up to that (it’s not the focus in here so I guess it doesn’t...matter much?)  
> \- It takes place after Pale Flower of Darkness (the chapter where they fight the Black Fang to get the Fire Emblem)  
> \- I know that Battle Before Dawn (the next chapter in the game) happens during the timespan I’m probably using for this story but… I’m gonna need ya to suspend your belief on that one and pretend Zephiel’s assassination attempt is sometime later… Thanks!  
> With that being said… Enjoy the ride!

Without even noticing, Florina sighed again.

Deciding to focus her thoughts somewhere else, she settled on recalling the events of the day.

After they followed the Black Fang all the way to Bern’s Impassable Mountains, a fierce battle took place right in the Black Fang’s domain. Thankfully everything had ended well. The Fire Emblem was retrieved and they also managed to recruit a new ally; even when Lyn wasn’t really sure how she had managed to do so.

Finding their way while climbing up the mountains had been easy thanks to Lyn’s tracking skills, but now that the snowstorms had started at the peak there was no safe way to travel back.

Nils predicted the haphazard storms would end sometime before dawn, so they had agreed to camp in the mountains and rest; Lyn’s idea, of course, because, in her own words _“The storms will make the trip dangerous and you can’t stop an assassination attempt if you’re dead, Hector!”_

She was always so level-headed when it came to decisions involving survival.

Lyn… she was currently talking to Hector while they both polished their weapons…

This was hopeless.

Every single topic always came back to Lyn and there was nothing Florina could do about it.

A sigh escaped her lips once again.

“If you have time to sigh this much you have time to walk over there and strike a conversation.”

When had Serra snuck up on her? More importantly, had anyone else saw her staring dreamily at the people speaking several steps away from her?

“What? No, I... I shouldn't... They are already speaking to each other I... wouldn't like to intrude...”

“Seriously? The love of your life is right in front of you but you would rather stay here like a stalker instead of starting a conversation like a normal person?”

_The love... of my life?_

Serra made everything sound overdramatic but if Florina was being honest with herself... Lyn truly was… Never mind.

“I... yes?... I don't really want to be a bother,” Florina said rubbing her hands in a nervous fashion. Also, back to the other thing Serra had said, Florina had never thought of herself as a _normal person_ , so this was fine by her.

Serra seemed to understand or, at least, she seemed to respect that.

“If starting a conversation is too much you can always play the damsel-in-distress act. Everyone loves to play the knight in shining armor; you'll never find a better ice breaker!” Serra explained throwing her arms in the air.

“I don't think I understand...”

“You just walk up to the person you love and rub your arms or something, pretending to be cold, and some romantic action is bound to happen!!” While Serra talked she made exaggerated motions with her hands and Florina started fearing being noticed because Serra was acting flamboyant again.

Thankfully, Hector and Lyn seemed to be too engrossed in their conversation to acknowledge anything else.

“I'm from Ilia... the cold isn't a problem for me.”

“It doesn't have to be true; you just do this cause you want to be held in strong arms.” Serra hugged herself to reinforce her point.

Florina looked wistfully at Lyn's arms, her muscles where currently concealed by the cloak she was wearing over her everyday robes, but she could still picture in her mind the way they moved under the fabric.

 “I can go and distract _the girl from the plains_ so you can have Hector all to yourself,” Serra offered while acting coy.

Florina jumped slightly at this statement.

 

_Is Serra misunderstanding the whole situation?_

 

“I don't like Hector.”

“Of course you don't.”

Serra winked at Florina and the girl laughed awkwardly.

 

_She totally is._

 

There was some silence where Florina fidgeted and looked around for something that might help her get out of the uncomfortable situation.

Serra noticed this and decided to leave the girl alone. She released a sigh before speaking.

“I know you’re shy and I don't want you to feel under pressure—not anyone can handle that like I do—take it at your own pace... but remember, you have to work hard if you want your romance to happen!” And, with a last wink, Serra started walking away.

“I-I’ll keep that in mind,” Florina promised, hunching her shoulders unconsciously.

But she couldn’t bring herself to walk up to Lyn and barge in the conversation she was having with Hector.

With a final sigh she left towards the makeshift stables, where they had temporarily tied their mounts, trying not to be noticed by anyone.

_Maybe I am in love with a girl from the plains, but to me she is so much more than that._

When she was walking around a corner she bumped into Matthew who was presumably hiding as well.

He nearly tossed a round object he had in his hand but managed to grab it firmly at the last moment. It was a big orb which he tried to conceal with both of his hands until he realized the thing was far too big. He then proceeded to hide it among his robes, but the bright red flaming shine of its polished surface couldn’t be other than the Fire Emblem.

Was that the reason why he was hiding?

“Florina,” his voice was barely above a whisper so Florina was mostly sure her assumptions were right.

“I... uh... won’t tell anyone you’re here if you don’t... uh... tell anyone I was here,” Florina said not even looking in Matthew’s direction. Her sentence sounded stupid once she heard herself out loud, but she supposed it was a good enough try at conversation considering how not so long ago she was unable to do anything but squeak in the presence of men.

Matthew nodded slowly, a soft smile growing in his face when understanding dawned on him.

“I overheard Fiora and Farina looking for you,” he informed casually. “If I see them I’ll tell them you went to sleep,” he added looking at Florina as if to make sure his actions would be allowed.

Florina nodded, from the corner of her eye she saw Matthew retrieving the seal from his robes (which, she was now sure, was the one and only Fire Emblem) and appreciate it under the poor lighting they had.

It still shone as beautifully as it did between Lyn’s calloused fingers.

She did feel bad about the fact that she was now outright avoiding her sisters, but after her conversation with Serra she felt drained. She hoped whatever her sisters wanted wasn’t too urgent.

The thing about knowing someone for such a long time was the fact that they could see right through you. She had recently come to terms with her feelings for Lyn and she wasn’t particularly thrilled at the idea of her sisters interrogating her after finding out about said feelings and pressuring her to do something about them.

Spending time with Huey in a snowy landscape reminded her too much of Ilia. Finally her thoughts were able to drift apart from Lyn and settle on those distant snowy mountains and her memories from her hometown.

It was a quiet night while the storm was stalled, with no wind to make a sound. The storm had left a heavy layer of snow in the ground that impaired movement greatly, so everyone was probably staying indoors.

The heavy snowstorm would be coming back soon so Florina enjoyed the moments of quietude while they lasted.

Another sigh left her lips but this time it was due to the memories of her remote homeland.

 

* * *

 

Lyn felt utterly uncomfortable. The pants under her robes weren't enough to keep her warm and the cloak over her shoulders wasn’t making a good job either. Even with some extra layers of fabric the cold was getting to her.

It was a miserable sight. The quick and mighty swordfighter Lyn trembling like a wet newborn foal because of the weather.

She couldn’t even go for a walk to warm up because, since it was snowing heavily, as soon as she tried to walk out of the shelter of the ancient castle where they had set camp, the snow piled up quickly on her head and shoulders and she couldn’t even see farther than some steps ahead.

Even if she had tried to shake off the snow, some flakes remained in her clothes and melted, leaving the fabric feeling damp.

With a sigh she buried her cold nose in the pink scarf surrounding her neck. Florina had let her borrow it when they arrived to Bern’s Impassable Mountains and it still smelled like the other girl.

It was enough to make Lyn feel warmth growing in her chest. She hugged herself tighter and allowed her body to relax while breathing the faint aroma of the Pegasus Knight.

“Hey, Lady-” There was a pause where the voice stopped to correct herself. “Hey, Lyn!”

Recognizing the voice immediately, her body reacted, squaring her shoulders and straightening her posture, the cold became but a mere thought in the back of her mind.

A spontaneous smile appeared in her lips before she even noticed and she turned around almost automatically to meet face to face with the girl that could lighten her mood without even trying.

“Florina!”

The girl seemed to be startled for a second then, her posture tensed and she hunched a bit. Without her armor she looked smaller and more fragile, less like the fearless mercenary she was supposed to be and more like a delicate village girl.

Lyn couldn’t help but be endeared, for this Florina in front of her who could be easily shaken was the very same Florina that instilled fear and caution in their adversaries back in the battlefield.

Sometimes she wondered how this girl could act so different when she was wearing armor and mounting her Pegasus. She was a determined and firm knight when atop her mount, yet the moment she dismounted it was as if she remembered her mild and shy personality.

Said girl hadn’t said a thing, apparently content with just standing by Lyn’s side, that is, until Lyn noticed her friend move in some weird fashion.

Florina was just rubbing her arms but it made her look like she was scratching an itch. Pretending to be cold was hard when she had grown accustomed to it and she was a bad actress to begin with.

From Lyn’s point of view, Florina looked uncomfortable and it was something Lyn couldn't ignore. A frown settled immediately on her face.

“Florina, are you feeling unwell?”

“I... n-no, I... w-was...”

Suddenly Lyn's attentive stare was focused on her. Her hands held Florina's shoulders, her fingers cold against Florina's thin nightgown.

Even if she was clearly shivering, Lyn looked far more worried about Florina, and here Florina was trying to trick Lyn just because she had no clue how to start a conversation like a normal person.

“I'm fine... I j-just…”

While Florina struggled to put a name to the thing she was trying to do Lyn looked patient and kind, eager to aid Florina in any way she could.

For the thousandth time that day, Florina sighed.

“This was foolish of me, I shouldn't have listened to Serra,” she whispered to herself before turning around to walk away.

She really tried to flee quickly but Lyn reacted and caught her by the wrist in a second.

“Florina, wait!”

Of course Florina would never be fast enough on foot to escape from Lyn. Florina often forgot that as fast as she may be, Lyn would always out-speed her; it was almost like an unwritten rule for the imaginary stats that dictated their strengths and weaknesses.

When Lyn reached out to hold Florina's shoulder, the girl tried to stop Lyn’s hand by pushing the swordfighter’s arm away, but her actions got halted when she felt the temperature of Lyn’s bicep.

The Pegasus Knight paled and her breath hitched at how notoriously low Lyn's skin temperature felt.

“You're so cold,” she breathed, her eyes wide open in shock. Lyn looked taken aback and suddenly the pink tone in her cheeks became a reddish, more noticeable tint that framed the embarrassment in her eyes.

“The weather in Sacae is never this cold…” Lyn tried to laugh it off but her shivers sabotaged her and the sound came out like a raspy cough. Lyn’s once melodious laugh was reduced to a rough bark in the frigid air.

Now it was Florina's turn to be worried. Her previous embarrassment evaporated under Lyn's warm gaze and concern for the plainswoman filled her head. 

She stretched her arms towards Lyn and sighed in relief when the other girl closed the distance between them, hugging Florina without hesitation.

Upon coming into contact with Florina, Lyn couldn't help but press against the girl's warm body; Lyn’s own tense frame immediately melting and relaxing in Florina’s arms.

The Pegasus knight trembled when Lyn's cold skin came into contact with her much warmer one. She knew far too well it wasn’t because the difference in temperatures but because she was enjoying the closeness with her friend. She wished Lyn believed the former was her reason for trembling, though.

“Is this fine?”

Lyn nodded.

How many seconds had gone by since they started the hug? Perhaps full minutes had transpired already but, in the stillness of the moment among the endless snow, time had lost all meaning. After a moment that could have lasted hours, Florina felt Lyn’s grip start to go slack.

“Lyn?” She asked tentatively.

“Ah, sorry, I’m so tired but I haven’t being able to sleep because of the cold,” Lyn explained. Even if Lyn was no longer feeling too chilly, the memory was enough to make her shiver.

“Would you like to sleep with me?”

The suggestion slipped from Florina’s mouth before she had the chance to think it through.

The storm stopped once again and without any sound to fill the silence Florina looked alarmed, as if she had been spotted in the middle of the cloudless sky by an army or archers; with every slow second going by Florina felt her embarrassment grow ten-fold.

“Wait, no…that came out wrong,” she hurried to take back her words but Lyn placed a hand in Florina’s head managing to halt her.

“If you don’t mind having me, I’d be elated to spend the evening with you.”

“You won’t mind?” Florina asked, still too nervous about having made a suggestion that could very easily being misinterpreted.

But Lyn brushed it off with a soft, quiet laugh.

“Why would I? It would be like we used to do when we were younger and had sleepovers whenever you came to visit me.”

Florina smiled and started guiding the way towards her tent. Lyn tried to stay as close to Florina as possible to avoid losing most of the warmth she had acquired from the girl.

Upon entering Florina’s tent, Lyn noticed it was as cold as hers but, since it was smaller than her own, the close proximity to Florina made the space feel immediately cozy and warmer.

It also smelled different; a smell that was equal parts pine trees and mountain earth yet a smell that felt so distinctive and so uniquely Florina. Lyn didn’t know how to describe it without sounding dumb.

Florina’s cot was already set on the ground, the quilts and blankets on top slightly pushed to the side. Since the girl was wearing her nightclothes it was safe to assume Florina had been lying down before she met her outside camp.

“Were you about to go to sleep?” Lyn asked more to have a conversation starter than to get an answer to something she already knew.

“I… Y-yes, but I wanted to make sure you were well before I slept.”

Lyn could feel the moment her cold face started aching with the blood pumping under the skin of her cheeks.

“You were worried for me? Thank you but you didn’t have to.”

Even when she looked unfazed, Lyn started to feel jitters inside her stomach. Florina had a way to be so adorable without trying; Lyn wanted nothing more than to hug her and protect her.

Florina smiled and lowered her head. “That’s what friends do.”

Lyn felt the words clutch her heart and her thoughts got jumbled in her head. She opened her mouth but she couldn’t calm her mind for enough time to think of an answer.

Florina started talking again dashing any need for Lyn to reply.

“My tent is small so we might be cramped in here,” she informed with slight embarrassment, but Lyn couldn’t help the jab of guilt at invading Florina’s space just because the cold was too much for her to handle.

“It’s not a problem, sorry for bothering you, Florina.”

“You’re not bothering me, Lyn; you never would,” Florina replied while sitting, the makeshift bed underneath her looking comfortable and inviting.

Lyn removed the cloak from her shoulders, then her boots, and lied down in the cot next to Florina. The heavy blankets weighed her down and made her feel trapped but at the same time they protected her from the harsh wind that managed to go through the thick fabric of the tent.

She wasn’t used to sleeping with so many layers and it made her uneasy.

Lyn tossed and turned a couple of times trying to find a comfortable enough position. She finally lied down on her side with her back to Florina.

Moments like this were the ones that made her miss the plains. It was always the instants of silence when she was harshly reminded that she wasn’t living in the plains and she couldn’t go back yet.

She felt Florina’s warm back press against hers, Lyn’s muscles unwounded by reflex and a shaky sigh escaped her lips. Somehow Florina made her feel a bit at home even if she was far away from it.

“Is this fine?” Florina asked softly.

Lyn nodded.  “It is more than fine.”

Florina relaxed and moved a bit closer to Lyn and, for long moments that appeared to be enough for Lyn, she forgot about the cold, and the plains, and the battles...

When Lyn shivered the tiniest little bit, Florina, the ever dutiful Florina, enveloped Lyn tightly in the warm covers. Then, when Lyn turned to face her, she took Lyn’s hands and rubbed them with her own small ones, occasionally blowing warm breaths over the cool skin.

Lyn allowed Florina to take care of her; she supposed that being the younger sister, the petite knight wouldn’t have many moments to be the one taking care of others and being able to witness that secret caring side of Florina made the moment feel somehow special; being on the receiving end of such gentleness made her feel at ease.

“Florina, thanks for looking after me,” she whispered.

“You’re welcome.” By some kind of miracle, Florina managed to sound normal, even if this whispered words held some kind of intimacy that made her nervous.

“I mean it, Florina, thank you.”

The girl pulled the blankets over the lower part of her face, possibly trying to hide her embarrassment, and nodded. ~~~~

“You should try to get some rest,” Florina muttered while turning to face the roof of the tent.

Lyn hummed. Even when Florina had already closed her eyes, Lyn found herself unable to do so.

She was warm enough to fall asleep now but there was a thought nagging her and hindering her ability to sleep.

Florina looked so beautiful. Lyn already knew that. Yet being so close to the girl made it really hard to think of something else.

The Pegasus Knight was so small but her body could withstand the unforgiving weather, and her arms were so thin but she could throw javelins farther than anyone else in their army. She was very shy and soft-spoken but she faced any adversary head on without flinching.

In everyone’s eyes Florina was probably one of the least fitted for battle in their army, yet she proved them wrong every time.

She had changed so much since those simpler times when they had sleepovers on the plains. But Lyn was still the same naive girl from Sacae that refused to depend on anyone and tried to do everything on her own.

She couldn’t even acclimate herself to survive on extreme weather unlike the one on the plains. Her hopes and dreams hadn’t changed much since she was younger and not even finding her grandfather had helped her change much the way in which she approached life.

It was like her whole world had changed but, out of stubbornness, she had chosen to remain the same.

Florina, on the other hand, was unrecognizable. The girl’s past self was something completely different from the girl sleeping next to her.

Lyn didn’t want to be the same old Lyn, she actually wanted to change; become better, for Florina, for this Florina.

For this girl who was a mercenary in her own right, and a Pegasus Knight of Ilia. She could probably get any job she wanted, jobs a hundred times better paid and infinitely easier than the things she was doing for Lyn.

Yet she was here fighting battles that weren’t really hers to fight, by Lyn’s side, getting underpaid and even going further from her duties or responsibilities. It no longer felt like the kind of things a retainer would do for her liege.

A small voice in her mind echoed Florina’s words: _"That’s what friends do"_.

And Lyn couldn’t argue with that. For Florina she would do this and more. But, was there something she could actually do for Florina?

Probably not. At least not in the way she was right now. If she wanted to change maybe the first thing she had to do was start treating Florina different.

After all, this Florina wasn’t the same she had met years ago, the one that needed her help and protection. But somehow that didn’t bothered her as much as she thought it would.

It was somehow exciting, like she no longer needed to hold back. Like they could depend on each other and it would be fine; a Pegasus Knight from Ilia and a girl from the plains of Sacae, together, not as liege and retainer, not as protector and protégée, but as equals.

Holding back... she wasn’t sure there was a just a single thing she was holding back when it came to Florina. There was a collection of things, or maybe collection of _feelings_ was more accurate.

Maybe she didn’t need to hold her feelings back either. She just had to test the waters.

“Florina, are you awake?” After the words left her mouth she felt a bit of regret. This wasn’t the time to talk and yet here she was interrupting Florina’s sleep and causing her inconveniences.

Florina answered with a soft hum and before Lyn could pretend she hadn’t said anything and try to sleep, Florina turned to face Lyn. In the limited space they had in the cot Florina was nearly nose to nose with the other girl.

Lyn could notice a slight blush in Florina’s cheeks but chose to ignore it, she probably was blushing too and hopefully Florina would attribute it to the cold weather instead of thinking too much of it.

Her eyes scanned Florina’s face. Aside from the blush in her cheeks that was probably caused due to her shy nature there was no sign that the girl was affected by the incredibly low temperatures they were facing.

She didn’t need to hold back, she reminded herself. She didn’t _want_ to hold back anymore, she wanted to change, so she gave it a try.

_I love you, Florina._

“I love how incredible you are, Florina.”

 _Try_ being the operative word.

Florina blinked quickly and unconsciously tried to flinch as much as she could within the limited space. A muttered _“thanks”_ let Lyn know her attempt was well received and hadn’t overstepped any boundary.

“I thought living in the plains had prepared me for harsh weather but I was wrong, I wish I could endure the cold like you, Florina.” Those weren’t exactly the feelings Lyn wanted to address, but she figured she had to start somewhere.

“It’s nothing, really, I just got used to it, Ilia is usually this cold all year around,” she said dismissively, her gaze shifting around nervously.

“I still think it is amazing, you are amazing.”

Florina blushed and her hands nervously pulled the covers over her mouth, trying to bury her face in the fabric.

“You are the amazing one, the way you tracked the Black Fang all the way here, I would never be able to pull something of the sort... that was something else,” she finished while lowering her gaze.

Lyn shrugged.

“I’m glad I could help, but it wasn’t anything too grand,” Lyn stated nonchalantly. “I’m just a girl from the plains.”

Those words triggered an automatic response from Florina.

“You’re more than that to me,” Florina whispered against the quilts over her mouth, but she underestimated how sharp Lyn’s ears could be.

“Uh?” Even when she had heard Florina correctly there was a part of her that refused to assume Florina meant anything else by that.

“N-nothing, I was just speaking my mind without thinking, please pay me no heed.”

Usually Lyn wouldn’t press the subject, but something about Florina’s words made her extremely curious.

“What did you mean by that?” Her voice didn’t sound angry or harsh so Florina wouldn’t usually feel worried.

But there was something urgent about the way Lyn whispered those words. Florina got this feeling of alarm flooding her head.

“Did you mean that I’m a noblewoman of House Caelin?” Lyn asked firmly, her voice no longer a soft whisper against the background noise of the blizzard.

“N-no! This has nothing to do with ranks!” Florina answered a bit too fast, stumbling with her own words. After the sentence left her mouth she noticed she had raised her voice a lot and she was now sitting on the cot.

Lyn had been bracing herself to have this conversation again with Florina, but this direct answer was something she hadn’t really anticipated. She remained silent for some seconds.

“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to yell at you.” Florina’s meekness came back but Lyn couldn’t allow the conversation to end like that. The honesty in Florina’s words was something she wanted more of.

Florina leaned back and pulled the covers over her head, trying to make herself smaller in the already small cot.

“Florina, it’s fine, what were you about to say?” Lyn coaxed, her hand drawing circular motions on the bundle of quilts and blankets Florina had took shelter in.

The silence lasted some instants until Florina’s pale green eyes appeared among the heavy fabrics concealing the girl.

“I know that I’m just a girl from the mountains and my opinion isn’t worth that much to begin with but…”

Even with the wind howling like a wounded wyvern, Florina felt her heart beating so hard she was afraid Lyn might be able to hear it, she tried to breath slowly to calm her erratic heartbeats but it was nearly impossible with Lyn so close to her, looking at her with those expectant bright green eyes.

She had the impulse to just tell Lyn she loved her like she often did when Lyn told her something that made her really happy. But this time she felt like the implications wouldn’t be lost on Lyn. Somehow telling Lyn she loved her while being this close felt far more intimate.

She needed to calm herself and talk very slowly or she’ll end up babbling about her awkward feelings towards Lyn and destroy the moment they were having like a berserker demolishing a wall with a hammer.

Thankfully Lyn was patient and offered Florina sweet smiles instead of demanding answers.

“I’m glad that you think so highly of me, but… I’m afraid that next to you I don’t amount to much.” Florina finally said.

“I do believe you are mistaken,” Lyn answered with so much certainty Florina felt her pulse quicken. “There is no one as capable, loyal, hardworking and strong as you.”

The firmness in Lyn, her voice no longer a whisper, left Florina stammering, like all the words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat, trying to come out at the same time.

There were so many things wrong with Lyn’s statement that she wanted to say something, anything, but in the end nothing came out of her mouth.

Lyn’s gentle eyes told her the girl from the plains truly believed in the words she was saying; there was not an ounce of doubt in her assessments.

The genuine tenderness in Lyn made Florina’s eyes water. Without even taking the time to think she threw herself in Lyn’s arms.

Before Florina had any self-doubts Lyn held her and kissed her forehead. The contact was so sweet and comfortable Florina couldn’t help but sigh. Their affection felt so effortless and natural, Florina was sure staying by Lyn’s side had always been part of her destiny.

“Can we sleep like this?” She asked, her voice a tiny whisper against the sound of wailing winds.

“Sure.”

There was something so romantic about the hug that neither could ignore. Florina had felt insecure about her feelings being corresponded for the longest time, since Lyn never put complicated emotions into words, she just showed how she felt through actions.

But right now Florina felt confident, she really believed she had a very solid chance with Lyn.

And even if Lyn didn’t love her romantically she doubted the feelings would put any strain in their close relationship.

She could do this; she could actually make her romance happen.

 

* * *

 

“Wake up, everyone! We have an assassination attempt to stop!” Hector’s strong booming voice breaks through the calmness.

Florina stirs. Feeling unusual weight in her arms, she opens her eyes to find Lyn’s curious gaze looking down at her.

They exchange looks, without separating or looking away.

The moment is magical. Florina could lean a bit forward and kiss Lyn, she could touch her cheeks, she could bury her face in Lyn’s neck and fill her lungs with Lyn’s scent. But time is not on her side and the instant flies by without her being able to do any of that.

“Florina, are you awake?” A voice calls from the outside of the tent. It’s, without a doubt, Fiora’s voice.

Panic rises in Florina’s eyes. She immediately scrambles out of Lyn’s arms and manages to tie her boots in record time.

She’s about to leave the tent when Lyn stops her with a warm hand on her shoulder. Florina turns around and founds herself enveloped in a hug, her cheek against the soft fabric at Lyn’s collarbone.

Her breathing quickens and, with every breath, she inhales more of Lyn’s scent. It’s a sweet-tempered contact that should make Florina relax but it just makes her head reel instead.

Lyn doesn’t say _“I love you”_ but maybe this is the way in which she shows Florina her love and Florina wants nothing more than to bask in the affection that makes her heart flutter. She smells so good and Florina just wants to press her nose against Lyn and take a deep breath to relish in the essence that reminds her of the plains that Lyn loves so much, but now is not the time.

The small knight leaves the tent to find her sisters, already in full Pegasus Knight armored regalia, waiting for her. She plays with her hair hoping the weak torchlight nearby doesn’t end somehow highlighting her blush.

Farina takes Florina by the shoulders and guides her reluctant sister away from the tent. Florina doesn’t really want to leave the tent unguarded but she knows her refusal to follow her sisters would be immediately suspicious.

“Hector is offering us some sweet compensation if we scout the road ahead and make sure the brigands stay out of the way, care to join us, sis?” She explains to Florina in a scheming fashion, her arms gesturing wildly. Even when she’s the best paid Pegasus knight in the whole continent she still gets terribly excited when extra pay is brought up.

“We wanted to inform you about it since yesterday but couldn’t find you,” Fiora points out when her eyes delve into Florina’s appearance, clad in her nightgown and boots.

“I-I think I’ll p-pass,” Florina blurts.

...Because being alone, with her sisters, above the clouds, isn’t currently in her best interests.

“Your loss!” Farina leaves with a big smile in her face and Florina can’t stop the sigh that leaves her lips.

“Florina, is something the matter?” Fiora hasn’t left and she isn’t distracted enough by the pay to not notice Florina’s obvious discomfort.

Florina shakes her head nervously and her whole posture hunches, like she’s trying to physically hide her thoughts.

This isn’t the time to pry so Fiora lets it slide and runs to catch up with Farina.

When Florina comes back to the tent she immediately notices Lyn is gone. A sigh of relief leaves her lips and the tension she hadn’t noticed in her shoulders disappears. Hopefully Lyn left before anyone saw her, which might be for the best. That way Florina does not even need to think of an explanation for why she is sharing a tent with her liege (even if to her, Lyn is much more than that).

One less thing she has to worry about, because thinking of an explanation would mean thinking about all the little things that happened in the tent; every look, every word, every touch... and there’s just not time for that!

The quilts and the cot are already folded neatly and arranged in the corner, but the faint aroma of the wind from the plains still lingers. Lyn moves like the wind so it’s no surprise she smells like wind too.

While she packs away the blankets in her wooden chest she notices the small pink scarf folded neatly among the other things; the scarf she lend to Lyn almost a day ago.

She can’t help but draw a breath of the fragrance lingering in the pink snug fleece and her mind drifts back to some hours ago, lying down in this same tent, sharing a bed and holding each other as close as their robes allowed. That moment smelled exactly like the scarf.

“Eliwood!! Did you take the Fire Emblem?!” Hector’s strong voice echoes through the stone fortress, pulling Florina out of her daydream.

She shoves the scarf to the bottom of the chest and without missing a beat she strips her nightclothes and changes into her Pegasus Knight uniform.

Her heart is still beating wildly by the time she’s dismantling her tent and it only stops by the time she’s fixing Huey’s mount.

Knowing her sisters are out scouting and Lyn might be busy with her own duties, she doesn’t expect anyone’s interruptions. On retrospective that’s probably why the abrupt visit catches her off-guard the most.

While Florina is finishing packing her stuff Serra sneaks up to her once again. Everyone is rushing to finish so they can leave as soon as possible (also Hector is busy shouting at anyone that dares to move slowly) but still Serra finds time to walk up to Florina and strike conversation.

 “So, did you put the plan in motion?” She asks; her tone cryptic.

The cleric always acts sly so Florina has no way of knowing if Serra saw something, _anything_ , or if her question carries no hidden meaning.

With her back to Serra, Florina’s mind scrambles to think of something. If she was in the battlefield her to-go strategy would be retreat, but she discards that one knowing fully well that in this exact situation running away would end up raising more suspicions than helping.

“You looked so downcast yesterday, but you look a lot happier today.” Serra sounds so genuine and friendly that Florina visibly relaxes; more so by the knowledge that Serra is just asking because she cares, and not because she has ulterior motives.

“I... I don’t know,” Florina answers truthfully, she did try to put Serra’s suggestion to use, but in the end she’s not sure if that helped her in any way.

Then again she does like the way things turned out. It's not that she dislikes the idea of having Lyn take care of her but she would rather have the more balanced interactions they shared some hours ago in her tent.

She notices Serra looking at her with a big smile, and suddenly Florina is aware of the thoughts and feelings that are most likely parading through her face. She shakes her head and hides her eyes behind her fringe.

“You don’t have to be so nervous; I can give you Elimine’s blessing or whatever if you need reassurance.”

Florina isn’t particularly religious but she can’t help but note the way in which Serra pronounces St. Elimine’s name. It lacks the reverence present in Lucius when he is talking about the saint, but it doesn’t seem disrespectful. Florina supposes that’s just part of Serra’s charm, giving life a more lighthearted outlook. Also the blessing offer is a nice gesture.

“Thank you for your support, Serra, but I’m all right now, I think.”

“You’re welcome, Florina! Luckily for you, I’m here should you require any additional help or advice, so don’t hesitate to ask.” Serra nods dutifully, keeping her nose high, looking proud, like her job is done, and she walks away.

Traveling down the mountain is faster than the trek up and with Lyn guiding everyone they arrive before dawn to the manse where the prince is.

“We better move carefully, can’t stop an assassination attempt if we’re dead, right, Lyn?” Hector places a heavy arm over Lyn’s shoulders.

Lyn lets out a hearty laugh and Florina feels her heart soar at that sound, so unrestrained and authentic.

She doesn’t even notice when Eliwood walks up to her and her sisters and she barely hears their conversation. Something about taking a small group inside and have the rest wait outside as reinforcements.

“We should stay and cover the rear,” Fiora suggests.

“Yeah, we Pegasus Knights aren’t that great fighting indoors,” Farina adds. “Right, Florina?”

But Florina isn’t even looking their way, her eyes still focused on Lyn while the girl prepares herself for battle.

Ignoring her sisters Florina turns towards Eliwood and takes his hand between her much smaller ones. Florina would notice how smooth and soft his skin is for someone that trains with swords regularly but that though doesn’t even enters her mind.

“Please, let me be part of the assault!” She pleads.

“Can’t really say no when the request is made with so much enthusiasm,” Eliwood smiles and when he glances at Florina’s sisters, both exchange looks and shrug.

Everything is silent and the manse seems almost deserted, no guards in sight and no lights on, but once they are close enough they can hear it... the sound of fighting.

“Hector, you and Eliwood take the entrance to the right; I’ll take this door on the left,” Lyn instructs.

There’s a lot of noise coming from the right entrance, the door to the left seems a lot quieter, but that is somewhat more unnerving.

Florina can just see the gears spinning in Lyn’s head making up backup plans and strategies. Hector is about to protest but Eliwood stops him.

“If we go in with two separate parties we should be able to cover a bigger area and reach the prince faster,” he reasons.

Florina thinks splitting up is a terrible idea, staying together is safer but then again moving a big group through the narrow corridors of the castle is slower and they don’t have the time.

“At least take Matthew with you,” Hector says. “For all his shortcomings he is actually good at infiltrating castles... Just make sure you don’t have any Fire Emblems with you, he has a knack for stealing those,” he adds while slapping Matthew in the back with enough strength to send him tumbling some steps forward.

“Young master, don’t be like that, I told you I just wanted to take a closer look,” Matthew replies playfully while walking in Lyn’s general direction.

But Hector doesn’t seem to be listening to Matthew’s excuses. He looks worried, but when his eyes lock with Florina’s his posture relaxes, Florina doesn’t know what’s going through Hector’s mind but she decides she can think about the implications later.

Each unit takes their place and the mission officially begins.

The heavy door in front of Lyn is locked so Matthew starts working on it. The Ostian spy is usually fast at picking locks but Lyn is too agitated and impatient right now to appreciate Matthew’s nimble fingers.

_If Lyn happened to engage in a battle like this she would be careless and make risky decisions. Florina is not sure she can do anything about Lyn’s impulsiveness but..._

The metallic click from the lock makes Florina tense and suddenly Matthew is pushing the thick double doors open. Lyn looks ready to launch herself into battle with reckless abandon.

_...Florina needs to try_

In that moment, Florina takes Lyn’s arm. The contact immediately grounds Lyn. Her eyes focus on Florina and her gaze is no longer restless or heedless, but the sharpness of a combat-ready swordfighter is still present.

“Be careful... please?”

Lyn smiles at Florina’s words and even when she’s the quickest unit in the whole army she’s still not fast enough to see what comes next.

Florina stands on her tiptoes, her face getting closer to Lyn’s until her lips touch.

Lyn doesn’t react immediately and just when she is starting to enjoy Florina’s warm lips against her cool ones the kiss is already over.

Her eyes open and the first thing she sees are Florina’s glassy uncertain eyes looking at her. She places a gentle hand in Lyn’s cheek, the touch apologetic and suddenly Lyn can’t stand still anymore.

She leans forward till their lips touch again, and Florina kisses back with just as much enthusiasm. Lyn holds Florina’s cheeks trying to be soft, but her hands press with a bit too much strength. Florina is too preoccupied with Lyn’s lips to even complain, though.

When they break the kiss Lyn is breathing heavily and Florina takes gulps of air the way someone who has been underwater for a long time does.

“What was that for?” Lyn asks, feeling breathless.

“A kiss... for good luck.”

“I don’t suppose I can ask for another one, or can I?”

Florina shoves her playfully. “I’ll give you as much as you want... a-after saving the prince, t-that is.”

“Right, the prince...” Lyn’s silly smile evaporates and all that’s left is Lyn’s serious countenance. Florina has to close her eyes to restrain herself from kissing Lyn again.

“I’ll be close by but promise me you’ll be careful,” she says taking Lyn’s hand.

Lyn nods and presses her forehead against Florina, her eyes closed and her expression serene.

“You have my vow in the name of Father Sky and Mother Earth.”

And that’s all Florina needs, really...

...A promise from the love of her life, a vow from the girl from the plains.

**Author's Note:**

> Matthew: *clearing his throat* "Guys, I...uh...opened the door... guys?"  
> Can you believe it’s been a year since I made that other LynFlorina story? So I guess it’s a Happy Anniversary, also Happy Femslash February or Day of Devotion or whatever you celebrate today, guys!  
> *shameless self-promotion plug* You can check “Winds across the plains” if ya haven’t yet and fancy some more LynxFlorina content (the stories aren’t really connected and I guess they contradict each other in some small details but it’s good LynFlorina for the soul and it's a bit "spicier" than this one)  
> I’ll check this later for mistakes I might have overlooked, but if ya find anything do let me know. Also leave me a comment if ya like what ya see or not or wanna share headcanons (my tumblr is in my profile if that’s more your jam)  
> Hope ya guys had a good time reading this, take care!


End file.
